57 Ways - 42. Test Your Home For Radon

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57 Ways To Protect Your Home Environment (and Yourself)

Caring for the Home Landscape

1. Aim for a healthy lawn rather than a perfect lawn
2. Cut the grass without gas
3. Prevent insect, disease, and weed problems in the garden
4. Identify fruits and vegetables that need fewer pesticides
5. Select native trees and shrubs that will thrive in your yard
6. Keep your tress healthy and safe
7. Plant “wild” in your backyard
8. Attract birds and butterflies to your backyard

Using Alternatives to Traditional Pesticides & Fertilizers - Where Practical

9. Scout for pests on the landscape
10. Consider microbial insecticides
11. Consider botanical insecticides & insecticidal soaps
12. Conserve beneficial insects
13. Monitor & control insects with traps
14. Use pest barriers in your garden
15. Solarize soil
16. Consider the potential of natural fertilizers

Using Chemicals on the Landscape - If Necessary

17. Know what to ask a lawn-care company and arborist
18. Understand pesticide toxicity
19. Read the pesticide label
20. Apply pesticides accurately and safely
21. Apply fertilizers accurately and safely

Storing & Disposing of Hazardous Chemicals

22. Store hazardous chemicals safely
23. Dispose of pesticides safely
24. Dispose of auto products safely
25. Dispose of paints and solvents safely
26. Dispose of adhesives, areosols, household cleaners & other hazardous waste safely

Managing Yard, Food & Other Household Waste

27. Reduce household waste
28. Recycle paper, glass, & aluminum
29. Reuse and respond
30. Recycle grass clippings
31. Create a compost pile
32. Use yard waste as mulch
33. Dispose of tree residues

Protecting Your Drinking Water

34. Know when & how to test your water
35. Test your water for coliform bacteria & nitrate 36. Test your water for pesticides - if necessary
37. Know the signs of contaminants in drinking water
38. Select effective water-treatment methods
39. Prevent contamination from septic systems
40. Know the pros & cons of bottled water

Protecting the Indoor Environment

41. Prevent contamination by lead
42. Test your home for radon
43. Reduce radon levels
44. Control dust, dust mites & other allergens
45. Reduce pollution from combustion equipment
46. Prevent contamination by formaldehyde and asbestos
47. Recognize tht it's not always necessary to control indoor insects
48. Select the right household pesticide
49. Control household pests with less toxic alternatives
50. Select household cleaners wisely

Conserving Energy & Water

51. Design new homes for energy effciency
52. Save energy in heating & cooling
53. Insulate & seal your home
54. Choose energy-efficient appliances
55. Save money & energy with compact fluorescent light bulbs
56. Use plants & other landscape tools to conserve energy
57. Conserve water in & around the home

42. Test Your Home For Radon
	Radon is created naturally in the earth—a tasteless, colorless, and odorless gas that forms when uranium in the Earth’s soil decays. As radon decays, alpha particles are emitted, which can damage cells in the human body. Some scientists claim that radon gas is responsible for 7,000 to 30,000 lung cancer deaths per year, but other scientists dispute this figure, saying it exaggerates the risk. Outdoors, radon gas is diluted in the air and poses little risk. But indoors it can become concentrated and can accumulate to hazardous levels. Radon can enter through crawl spaces; gaps between basement floors and walls; sump pumps; and the water supply.
	It can also enter through cracks in basement walls, floors, and foundations; pores in concrete block; mortar joints; and openings around loosely fitted pipes.
	There are two basic types of radon detectors. Short-term detectors, such as charcoal canisters, measure radon levels over a two- to seven-day period. Radon levels within a home fluctuate with the weather, so these tests can be deceiving. Long-term detectors, such as alpha-track detectors, measure radon levels for three months to a year.
	You can purchase radon testing kits rather cheaply from a local hardware store or other retail outlets. Their price usually includes the cost of having a laboratory analyze the detector and report the findings. Whatever kind of detector you choose, make sure that the package indicates that the test kit meets EPA requirements.
	Radon detection kits should come with thorough instructions on how to set up the test. Be sure to indicate the dates that you begin and complete the test. Also, mail the detector to the lab immediately after completing the test. Not doing so may result in a failed test.
	Here are some testing steps: Do a short-term test or long-term test (the U.S. EPA recommends starting with a short-term test). If your long-term test exceeds 4 picoCuries per liter of air (pCi/L), that is sufficient reason to take action to reduce radon levels in your home. If your short-term test result is 4 pCi/L or higher, you should do a follow-up test to be sure.
	Follow up with either a long-term test or, if you need quick results, a second short-term test. Take action to solve the problem if the follow-up test is 4pCi/L or more.